Imperial Family of Japan Jewellery

[Prisma]

Princess Aiko wearing Sayako Kuroda's tiara

https://cdn.mainichi.jp/vol1/2021/12...0003000p/9.jpg
https://cdn.mainichi.jp/vol1/2021/12...0023000p/9.jpg
https://cdn.mainichi.jp/vol1/2021/12...0024000p/9.jpg

Mainichi gallery

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wtVphEVAOs

[SLV]

A lovely tiara, it suits her.

[Tilia C.]

I have always liked this tiara and now think that it suits Princess Aiko very well. Also the necklace is quite nice. But it's out of proportion compared with the parures of her cousins, imo. Given that at the Japanese court precedence is also reflected by the size of the jewels worn, the daughter of the Emperor should not be out-shone by her cousin.

[IloveCP]

Aiko's tiara is very beautiful.

[Prisma]

Tiaras in spotlight after Princess Aiko turns 20 | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

[...]

Imperial family tiaras typically cost between 130,000 to 250,000 dollars, which usually come from the state coffers. Princesses who leave the family for reasons such as marriage must return theirs to the government. But Kuroda—who wed in 2005—didn’t have to, because the funds for hers came out of the former Emperor's family expenses.

Currently, the Imperial Household Agency keeps eight tiaras, including one used by Crown Prince Akishino's daughter Mako, who left the Imperial family after marrying in October.

[...]

Tiaras ‘part of protocol’
Spending public money on expensive tiaras is not without its critics, but Aoki Junko, an expert on royal fashion, insists they are a necessary part of formal protocol. “I think it’s important for female members of the Imperial family to wear tiaras,” she says. “They are part of the rules of courtesy between countries.”

Nishimura Yasuhiko, the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency, shares similar sentiments. At a news conference in November, he said tiaras are necessary for ceremonies, and that producing them is not wasteful. As for Princess Aiko, he said: “In light of the coronavirus situation, the government decided not to use state funds after consulting with the Emperor and Empress. The government will consider the matter again in the future.”

Japanese NHK article has more information:
- cost of parures, 2001-2014
- A/B type discussion regarding jewelry inherited from emperor to emperor
- history of tiaras in Japan/Westernization
- royal fashion expert Aoki Junko doesn't confirm Michiko's third tiara with "Karakusa pattern" was Princess Chichibu's. She says it's "very similar to the one used by Princess Chichibu."

Mainichi about tiaras/Westernization
- adjustments of Sayako's tiara to fit Aiko was paid with private expenses
- In 1886, Japan's first Prime Minister, Hirobumi Ito, gave notice to women at court to wear Western attire
- Empress Shoken wore a formal long dress at New Year's ceremony in January 1887 and probably the Meiji tiara
- The photograph of Empress Shoken wearing the Meiji tiara was taken in 1889
- Mikimoto created the empress' second tiara (chrysanthemum) in 1917 for Empress Teimei and a tiara for Princess Nagako when she married the Crown Prince in 1924
- It is said Crown Princess Nagako's tiara was remade into the current Crown Princess Scroll/1st tiara for Michiko, later passed to Masako and Kiko

Originally Posted by Tilia C.

I have always liked this tiara and now think that it suits Princess Aiko very well. Also the necklace is quite nice. But it's out of proportion compared with the parures of her cousins, imo. Given that at the Japanese court precedence is also reflected by the size of the jewels worn, the daughter of the Emperor should not be out-shone by her cousin.

Sayako's parure was paid from private expenses so it reflects her taste. The publicly funded parures began in 2001 and by 2014, a panel selected the design so Kako apparently didn't get to choose. Necklace aside, the younger princesses tiaras seem similar in size/highest point. As the lowest in precedence, Princess Ayako didn't receive the smallest/shortest tiara.
Personally, I prefer the design of Ayako and Noriko's tiaras to Mako and Kako's.

ETA: Female royals' coming-of-age ceremony started with Sayako "considering the flow of the times." The Imperial family marked a male royal's coming-of-age with "Kakan-no-Gi" ceremony but females' adulthood was celebrated privately. Due to Emperor Showa's death and mourning, she only received her Order in 1989. The luncheon and dinner party were held in 1990.
Source: Mainichi

[Tilia C.]

Thank you for these interesting details, Prisma.

Currently, the Imperial Household Agency keeps eight tiaras, including one used by Crown Prince Akishino's daughter Mako, who left the Imperial family after marrying in October.

2 for the Mikasa Princesses, 3 for the Takamado Princesses, 2 for the Mako and Kako of Akishino: makes only 7. Princess Kiko's wedding tiara was made before 2001, so it should have been bought with private funds and be her personal tiara.
Also, there has been contradicting information about how many parures have been funded, it's really still confusing.

Sayako's parure was paid from private expenses so it reflects her taste. The publicly funded parures began in 2001 and by 2014, a panel selected the design so Kako apparently didn't get to choose. Necklace aside, the younger princesses tiaras seem similar in size/highest point. As the lowest in precedence, Princess Ayako didn't receive the smallest/shortest tiara.
Personally, I prefer the design of Ayako and Noriko's tiaras to Mako and Kako's.

I would still say that the parures of the Akishino princesses are way more substantial then the parures of the young Mikasa and Takamado princesses. And I still interpret that as a difference in rank, as Mako and Kako are much closer to the thrown than their second cousins.
But I agree that Princess Sayako's tiara is very beautiful. While I quite like Kako's tiara, I'm not so fond of Mako's.

In my opinion, it is a bit unfortunate to stop the purchasing of new parures right now, the the daughter of the emperor. Firstly, she is closest to the Emperor and highest ranking princess. Secondly, she's the last one to come of age. By the time that Hisahito's potential daughters need jewels there will probably be lots of spare parures in the vault. And with a new generation growing up it makes more sense to change the rules.

On the other hand, it's very considerate to not to spent money on jewels when the country goes through a serious crisis.

[Prisma]

When I shared the NHK article on twitter, someone responded that the 8 IHA-kept tiaras are unused like Mako's so that would include the Chichibu and Takamatsu tiaras and exclude those currently in use: Kako, Akiko, Yohko, and Tsuguko. However, that doesn't total 8 either so it's still a mystery.

Some interesting jewelry from 2022 New Year Lectures and Poetry Readings.

Tsuguko wore diamonds instead of pearls, Lectures


Hisako's 3-strand pearl choker and brooch, Lectures


Nobuko's non-pearl stud earrings, Lectures


Hisako's pearl and diamond necklace, Poetry


Tsuguko's golden and colored gem earrings, Poetry

[Prisma]

Princess Aiko's brooch (or Aunt Sayako's?) at her press conference on March 17 [Sankei]

[Prisma]

Princess Hisako at the Soroptimist International 50th anniversary ceremony and lecture on May 12

https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v1/...2230067858.jpg

Princess Hisako at the Digital Japan Bowl 2022

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images...26c0c1f8d2.png

photo from the Japan Bowl program

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images...0f83df9a60.png

[Prisma]

May 1975 UK state visit to Japan

Queen Elizabeth II




Empress Kojun (Nagako)


Crown Princess Michiko


Princess Masako of Mikasa


Princess Takamatsu (Kikuko), Princess Chichibu (Setsuko)


Princess Hitachi (Hanako)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_muoXf2TmE

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Prisma

May 1975 UK state visit to Japan



Empress Kojun (Nagako)
Attachment 303000

That is a serious diamond necklace on the Empress. Has it been seen on other occasions?

[Prisma]

Originally Posted by Stefan

That is a serious diamond necklace on the Empress. Has it been seen on other occasions?

I don't know but maybe we just haven't seen photos yet...

-----

Japanese twitter found Princesses Akiko and Aiko wearing the same Mikimoto brooch, rotated differently. Either they're sharing or they each have the same/similar piece.

Princess Akiko wore the brooch for an interview with Asahi, later published in March:
https://www.asahicom.jp/imgopt/img/a...0308001556.jpg

Princess Aiko wore the brooch when sending off her parents to the UK in September:
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images...37e164e418.jpg

https://www.mikimoto.com/jp_jp/pb-1323u

248,600 Yen (tax included) -> $1687 USD

https://twitter.com/Acid_66/status/1587289139069693952
https://twitter.com/tanaka_ri0/statu...17967709921280

[kimebear]

I was more than a bit aggrieved when Aiko wasn't presented with her own parure last year as the only daughter of a sitting emperor. Especially since the one she did use is the personal property of Sayako and not part of the "imperial vault" so to speak, so not truly hers, even for the limited duration of her time as an imperial princess.

Mikimoto has made this pretty floral tiara that could be lovely for Aiko if only the IHA would open up the purse and spring for it. Some of the flowers are en tremblant and really quite stunning.


https://www.mikimoto-jf.co.jp/gallary/tiara/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcBg52wIusw

[Ista]

It's a beautiful tiara, but quite substantial in size, so even there were a plan to buy Aiko her own parure, I'd be surprised to see this one.

I agree that Aiko needs her own parure, and I'm wondering what the plan is for her to have one. While I understand that the timing last year might have been a consideration (Covid, economy, etc) it seems disrespectful for literally every other female member of the Imperial family to have the use of her own parure, and the daughter of the current emperor to have to borrow one.

[kimebear]

It is rather sizeable, that's true.

I just hate that Aiko didn't get a tiara of her own. While the current climate was certainly a factor, I tend to see the lack of a purchase of a parure for her as really more of a snub from the IHA for her not being the son they wanted for the heir. A subtle way of pointing out that she's a disappointment.

Overall, the Japanese culture is nothing if not traditional, and procuring a parure for an imperial princess' 20th birthday is a tradition. I doubt there would have been a huge outcry if Aiko made her first official appearance in a parure of her own.

[Blog Real]

Princess Aiko still doesn't have her own tiara?

[kimebear]

Originally Posted by Blog Real

Princess Aiko still doesn't have her own tiara?

Not that we've seen so far. That may change at New Year's, but considering the poor state of the global financial situation it's unlikely that the IHA will shell out for a new parure for her as being an unseemly and unnecessary expense in a time of economic turmoil.

Seems to me that it wouldn't be terribly expensive to take one of the parures of a princess that has exited royal life and rework it into something nice for the Emperor's daughter, but she apparently doesn't rate high enough in their eyes for the consideration.

[Prisma]

Perhaps Aiko's tiara will be in the FY2024 budget request. There's no immediate need for a tiara since Japan is very slowly reopening from the pandemic and no state visits from other monarchies on the horizon (or any state visits). Tiaras probably will not be worn for the 2023 New Year Receptions.

Reworking still takes money. Design, dismantling existing tiara, reworking frame or create new frame, are there enough gems for new design?, fitting, etc. Also, the recent tiaras have been created through a bidding system.

Funds for Aiko's tiara were not included in the FY2023 budget request the IHA submitted in August. A senior official cited Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako's consideration for the people’s difficulties amid the pandemic.

Source: https://txbiz.tv-tokyo.co.jp/txn/news_txn/post_256506

[Ista]

All of that makes sense, but I think if the failure to provide for a new tiara goes on much longer it's going to look awkward. Kiko is the daughter of the Emperor, and if Kako and Mako could be provided with appropriate tiaras, Aiko having to borrow her aunt's tiara begins to look more like a pointed message, rather than simply being frugal.

[kimebear]

Originally Posted by Prisma

Reworking still takes money. Design, dismantling existing tiara, reworking frame or create new frame, are there enough gems for new design?, fitting, etc. Also, the recent tiaras have been created through a bidding system.

Even if they just used the gems from Mako's and Ayako's parures there would be more than enough for a new set for Aiko. The gems are the expensive part after all, not the metal or design.

Any jeweler in NYC's Diamond District for instance could whip up a design and reset the stones easily enough at a reasonable price. I had a set custom made for my wedding and it only took about four months and I didn't have the budget of a royal house to pay for it.

I don't see why a major design house like Mikimoto couldn't do the same for the Imperial family. Especially since the modern designs that seem to be popular with the IHA are not necessarily ornate.

Originally Posted by Ista

Aiko having to borrow her aunt's tiara begins to look more like a pointed message, rather than simply being frugal.

Exactly!